A water damage insurance claim can be a messy prospect. Slogging through the paperwork is just as difficult as cleaning the water damage to your home. Most insurance policies split when it comes to paying for water damage. While some common things are covered, others are not. It’s important to check the wording of your insurance policy to find out exactly what yours covers. Let’s look at some of the most common ways to handle a water damage insurance claim.
Floods
Most, if not all, homeowner insurance companies refuse to cover floods, regardless of the source. This includes floods from a rising water table, hurricanes, or even heavy rains. Consider checking your homeowner’s insurance policy to verify if it covers backed up sewer lines. A sewage backup sends the flow of sewage back into your house, causing all kinds of damage and health issues. If you live in an area where floods are common, you should definitely purchase a separate flood insurance plan. Moreover, some companies provide specific policies that deal with drainage backup.
Mold growth
Mold and mildew are on the fence, but the answer here is a soft yes. One possibility includes, mold growth that develops as a direct result of water damage covered by your homeowner’s insurance. Be diligent after you experience water damage. The sooner you notice the mold growth, the easier it will be to file a water damage insurance claim in regards to it. After a certain amount of time it becomes difficult to prove that the mold resulted from the water damage covered by your insurance. Since mold grows easily in moist places, establishing cause is tough.
Sudden and accidental water damage
Most homeowner insurance policies cover water damage that results from a sudden accident or even a mistake. For example, if you load your dishwasher as usual and come back to find that a hose inside came loose, don’t fear. Immediately begin the process of documenting the damage and officially verifying the cause. From there, your insurance company compensates you for the damage done to your floors.
However, your water damage insurance claim only covers the damage caused. You’re responsible for out of pocket expenses to repair or replace your broken dishwasher. In this case, the source of the accidental water damage isn’t covered, even thought the damage is.
Long-term neglect
Water damage builds over time. This often causes your floors to become warped. Because of this, expect to face a difficult time, convincing your insurance company to pay off your water damage insurance claim. Any water damage that happens to the property due to negligence will not be covered. Because you neglected regular maintenance or known leaks, the responsibility to have it repaired belongs to you alone. It sounds harsh, but if insurance companies didn’t make these rules, too many people would let the sink overflow just to get new flooring.
Homeowner’s insurance is strict about what kinds of water damage it does and doesn’t cover. If your house has experienced sudden, accidental water damage a water damage insurance claim could help. Otherwise, you may want to invest in supplemental insurance policies to prevent repeat, out of pocket damage.